December Dud: Same-Store Sales Disappoint — As Expected

Overview

Consumers displayed a penchant for penny-pinching this holiday season, as the nation?s retailers Treported same-store sale results for December that were disappointing enough to lead several firms to shave their fourth-quarter earnings expectations.

From This Issue

LONDON — Alexander McQueen took a bold step into the fragrance business this week with the unveiling of his first women’s scent, called Kingdom. The fragrance, packaged in a bottle designed to resemble an abstract heart, will be launched…

NEW YORK — Michael Glasser and Jerome Dahan have walked out as partners in Seven for All Mankind, known for its Seven Jeans label, and have filed a lawsuit against third partner Peter Koral for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of oral…

NEW YORK — Jeffry Aronsson has been appointed chief executive officer of Marc Jacobs International, according to an internal corporate communications announcement circulated to LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton employees this…

SURFING THE WRIST: Fossil Inc. is taking timepieces to the next level with the introduction this week of watches incorporating Microsoft’s smart personal objects technology (SPOT). The watches provide wearers with personalized Internet…

From the Have-I-Got-a-Girl-for-You Dep’t: Happily married to Babs Streisand himself, James Brolin had only his son Josh’s best interests at heart when he met Selma Blair on the set of “A Guy Thing” (MGM). Dad was so taken with the young…

PARIS — A year ago, when legend Yves Saint Laurent told his intimates he would retire from fashion, Loulou de la Falaise, his muse and a chief creative consultant for some 30 years, found herself at a crossroads, as well.

NEW YORK — Chalk one up for the indies. Though predictions for the holiday season were grim, independent beauty boutiques across the country proved to be a bright spot for beauty, with many stores reporting double-digit sales increases. The…

HIGHER CALLING: Steven Lund is resigning as president and chief executive officer of Nu Skin Enterprises. Lund, who joined Nu Skin some six years ago to handle the company’s initial public offering and then stayed on as its chief legal officer,…

NEW YORK — Knowing that the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the peak time consumers sample bath and body products, specialty bath suppliers pulled no punches in presenting the best their portfolios had to offer. And though nationwide…

At least coif-master Oscar Blandi thinks so, as he turned to good old dad to test whether his new hair care line would pass muster. Blandi, who operates the Oscar Blandi salon in the Plaza Hotel, reportedly…

NEW YORK — For more than 27 years Vidal Sassoon has reigned as one of the most iconic names in hair care, but beginning in February, shipments of shampoos, conditioners and styling products will cease in North America. As reported on these pages…

NEW YORK — When Andy Pemberton, the editor of Maxim’s Blender, was interviewed by The New York Times last month, he called the music magazine landscape “boring, dull as toast,” and happily described how Rolling Stone’s recent…

A HAVEN FOR BETTS?: Kate Betts has found a new gig. The fashion journalist and former editor of Harper’s Bazaar is working for Time Inc. on an undisclosed project that has been a big source of confusion and a lot of chirping this week over at the…

SHOPPING FOR PHIL?: Sources in Milan say that actress Sharon Stone and her husband, Phil Bronstein, will be attending the Versace and Versus men’s fall collection show in Milan on Sunday. The couple is said to be staying at Donatella…

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Social Studies

“I grew up in New York but I hadn’t really experienced the city in any type of touristy way…This was probably the first museum I really explored and took the time to see,” said @haileybaldwin of the @whitneymuseum. On Tuesday night, Baldwin was joined by Jemima Kirke and more at the annual Whitney Museum Gala and Studio Party, which honored Lorna Simpson, Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo and Beth Rudin DeWoody. See more photos on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)

Displayed starting this week at the @fashiontextilemuseum: An exhibition on designer @orlakiely titled “Orla Kiely: A Life in Pattern,” which spans two decades and contains more than 150 pieces. “I want people to come away loving pattern and print. It’s something that makes you feel so good,” said the designer during a preview of the exhibit. Also on show are mood boards, samples, sketches and more. Head to WWD.com to see more photos. #wwdfashion

Exclusive: @dsquared2 signs fragrance licensing agreement with Euroitalia, with the first effort of the new partnership being unveiled in September. The brand will launch two scents – one for men and one for women – in Italy. Read our interview with designer Dean and Dan Caten on WWD.com. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: @zefashioninsider)

@louisvuitton has officially renewed Nicolas Ghesquière’s contract as artistic director of women's collections. "I am very pleased to open the next chapter of the story I started with Louis Vuitton almost 5 years ago," said Ghesquière, who first signed on to design the French luxury brand's women's line in 2013. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @giovanni_giannoni_photo)

“I learned then and there that I had to figure out a way in life to maintain and preserve my sense of pride when I felt good about what I did or what I represented or created,” said @saintrecords on how being bullied for wearing capri pants inspired her to be the artist she is today. Knowles was at the 70th Parsons Benefit last night where she outbid the room for a Dapper Dan customized @gucci experience. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)

“There’s this amazing braintrust of people who know the whole universe so well. So we talked to them and they gave us more input,” said actor Alden Ehrenreich on playing the young Han Solo in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” The cast was at NYC’s SVA Theatre last night for an advanced screening of the film, which hits theaters this week. #wwdeye #starwars #hansolo (📷: @aurorarosedecrosta)

@asaprocky spent nearly two hours in a Plexiglas box Sunday night at @sothebys putting himself through a series of “tests” to demonstrate the process of completing his new album called “Testing.” Get all the details and see all the pictures on WWD.com. #wwdeye

“I’ve struggled my whole life to find a bathing suit that fits me that doesn’t look like a maternity bra. I’m proud of the line because it’s an accurate representation of me rather than me putting on someone else’s clothes,” says @atlantabean of her swimwear collaboration with @piaarrobio, LPA X ATL. The two decided on a swimwear collab and increased the industry standard size for the pieces. Read more about the line — and our interview with de Cadenet Taylor and Arrobio — on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: Dan Doperalski)